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We hope you find our favourite four areas to consider in event planning useful:  

1. Know who will be in the room. Are they spectators, participants, VIPs, or spies who come with an agenda bearing in mind that participants can switch between categories? The challenge with spectators is to get them involved, while that with spies is to create an event that connects with them emotionally. Participants learn best through action. VIPs need an experience that makes them feel their time has been well spent.

2. Remember the power of storytelling. Weaving a story into your content will pay dividends.

3. Don’t be afraid of technology. Rather than being a distraction, mobile phone apps, such as Chime, can be a vehicle to enable participants to connect with the content.

4. Network, network, network.

Establish goals for your meeting ahead of time. Define what data you want to track, how it will be tracked, and how you will calculate your return on investment (ROI). Recording and analysis of data can be facilitated by an app that takes the grind out of what can otherwise be a major task.

Recorded 1 November 2017 at a MedComms Networking event in Oxford. Take a look ... 

Further information about Chime can be found here.

In a survey published earlier this year *’Predicting the future of Meetings’ over 90% of the Meeting Planners surveyed acknowledged that audience participation using event technology is improving delegate communication. Four out of five planners believe the Wi-Fi question needs to be asked if they are going to use a conference app or ask delegates to download one onto a smartphone or their own device. That is before they take into consideration delegates checking emails and working online.

With security of data at meetings also being seen as a high priority there are some options the Meeting Planner needs to consider.

Going for a ‘Belt and Braces’ solution? Install your own secure, local Wi-Fi network where you:

- Use locked down, dedicated devices
- Keep delegates connected to your meeting
- Keep control of the meeting
- Keep the meeting content secure
- Have trained technicians onsite to set up network and support you

Use the venue Wi-Fi for own devices or smartphones - consider:

- Using your own devices - You might want to ensure they are fully charged and have sufficient memory for the app to work
- Ensuring the download speed can cope with the number of delegates logging in – don’t forget to allow for them using it for their own work too
- Checking the cost of increasing the speed
- Having a technician on site to support you and your delegates

The teams at all of the Concise offices are very experienced in helping clients decide which solution to use for what type of meetings. Please call us if you would like to discuss options. 

*Source – article IACC – Predicting the future of meetings June 2017

At some of this year’s most prestigious sporting occasions we have had the pleasure of supporting clients in welcoming guests at events – from the Sony Champions League final in Cardiff to the Aegon Tennis Championships at Queens, exciting Formula 1 races worldwide to Old Mutual Rugby Union games at Twickenham.

Our Chime check in is capable of ‘checking in’ up to 10,000 people – which means your guests arrival is registered and if appropriate seated within moments. Chime Check-In enables you to keep the process smooth and speedy, while giving you a comprehensive, real-time overview of arrivals.

Key Features:

 - Personalised welcome: add notes to guest names so that registration staff can greet them appropriately

 - Go anywhere: ‘Check-In’ works even without an internet connection, and runs on iPad, iPhone and Android devices

 - Scale up your registration team: the app updates in seconds across multiple devices via a wi-fi network that we provide

 - Update guest lists right up to the last minute

If you’re running an event with delegates and high-profile VIPs expected, there is nothing worse than a queue!

Find out more about how you can welcome your guests in style here

Don’t be.  It’s entirely possible to enjoy that summer vacation you’re earned with a few simple event planning steps, ensuring a stress-free and successful Autumn.

1)     Identify staff summer vacation schedules Event directors can’t do it all. You need your team available for planning and executing on schedule.  Is your colleague responsible for session agendas and speaker presentations taking July off to cruise the Norwegian Fjords?  Ask them to first share their calendar so you can plan accordingly.
 

2)     Get leadership buy-in  By asking leaders to confirm conference goals from the start of the summer you’re encouraging them to offer their input throughout the planning of the event.  Leaders need to know your project milestones don’t start when the leaves change color.  They’ll support you with budget and event strategy sign-off if you ask them before the summer break
 

3)     Plan in June and July  It only makes sense to secure resources ahead of time.  Whether booking a venue, setting up your registration page or selecting live polling event technology be sure to plan ahead.  You’ll beat the business crowd and have time for the finer details once everyone is back in the office.  

Fall is coming.  Why not have a pleasant summer?

David Maurer 
David.maurer@concisegroup.com

Our colleagues across the oceans were busy contributing throughout the day, starting with Hong Kong who shared our first post wishing everyone a ‘Happy #medcomms day’ with the London team following a few hours later with a short animation of a disappearing #medcomms cake! (And very tasty it was too!).

We also ran a very successful #medcomms Quiz during the day with Michele Ukele, from Synergy Vision, announced as the lucky winner of the iPod Touch. Congratulations once again from everyone at Concise.

The day was deemed a huge success and ended with a lovely post from our Client Services Director, Stan Park as the sunset over the Pacific Ocean in San Francisco. Here’s to 2018 #medcomms day!

T8 means that gale or storm force winds are expected or blowing in Hong Kong near sea level with a sustained wind speed of 63-117km/h, gusts may exceed 180km/h, with wind conditions expected to persist. 

Such an alert caused Hongkongers to flood the transport system as they rushed to leave work heading to the safety of their homes. Businesses closed their doors with supermarkets running out of food in the ensuing panic!

This didn’t stop us, it was business as usual this morning seeing half of the team onsite including one of them who was flying to Toyko!